Eyes Wide Open

Katya Kazbek

Among different cultures and religions, love and hate remain the two only constants, always clashing with each other, crumbling lives. This is a beautiful and devastatingly sad story, which could have happened anywhere in a society of intolerance. It also offers some very interesting insight on the lifestyle of Orthodox Jews.

josiahduke

Moody and very self-aware, yet fairly affecting. It's not about gay so much as it's about an affair, less about identity and more about morality.

dunjatello

I just saw this for the Israeli Film Festival in Melbourne: it was full house and it was an amazing film. I saw Brotherhood (about gay Nazis) for the Melbourne International Film Festival recently and both films, I must say, treated the subject matter well, displaying some brilliant film-making. Well done Tabakman

Edwin N

It's tragic, really, to come face to face with the heavy, gashing weight of tradition, religion and the sacred feeling of acceptance in a community. 'Eyes Wide Open' demonstrates that and repressed desires in an intimate and very subtle way..

ramosbarajas

Not knowing a lot about Orthodox Jewish Jerusalem may be a problem in understanding this film, but I feel as though the story itself is simple enough to understand that context is not too necessary. The performances were good, and it does a good job of presenting many aspects to the story. The story is very well written, remember that not everything can have a Hollywood ending.

El Biffo

Queer Hasidic Cinema :-)

Mike Jempson

Another touching and tragic reminder of the suffocating impact of orthodox/fundamentalist religion. Once the certainties may have provided a (false) sense of security & righteousness, now we can see how it destroys people. What kind of God approves of the indecency of gay-bashing and 'ritual' (cleansing?) suicide. Some tender performances in a tough setting.

Superfrog

I enjoyed the image, the situations and the subtlety of the social interactions. This is a slow film though, and it could do with a bit more in places to sustain itself.